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Babies: 9 - 12 Months
Rec your convertible car seat
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Re: Rec your convertible car seat
We have the Britax Marathon and really like it. Most importantly, DD seems to really like it.
Good choices:
The first Years True Fit-rear faces to 35 lbs forward to 65 pounds. The headrest comes off making it fit easier rear facing. You never have to rethread the straps, they just raise up and down. They also have belt lock offs if your belts don't lock ~$150
Evenflo Triumph Advance-rear faces to 35 lbs, forward to 50. Has as high top slots as the Britax convertibles so will get you to the same age harnessed (kids 99% of the time outgrow a seat by height way before weight). No rethread harness. ~$120-180
Safety 1st Uptown $120ish or the Safety 1st Avenue ~65 (at kmarts) rear face to 35, forward face to 40
Britax convertible seats (Marathon, Boulevard, Decathalon) all rear face to 33/35 pounds and forward to 65 pounds. Have seat belt lock offs (in case your seat belts dont lock) no twist straps, they can tether rear facing and many other features. Easy installation can be done in under a minute. Expensive though ~$200-300
Cosco Scenera-barebones but it does the job. Rearfaces to 35, forward to 40. ~$45
Sunshine Kids Radian-Rear to 35 forward to 65/80 (but you won't get any extra grow time unless you have a chunky kid). These are extremely difficult to install even for techs and are incompatible with many cars. I've installed hundreds of seats and this still takes me 30 minutes in my car to get right. It's hard to get the right angle. Great if you need 3 across, otherwise we rarely recommend it. Awesome seat, just hard to install.
Alright...I have to add, seats to avoid:
Graco Comfortsport-outgrown extremely early. My 17 month old has already outgrown this seat. I did a seat check a month ago and a 6 month old had almost outgrown it by height. This won't last past age 2ish unless you have a tiny kid.
Any 3 in 1 seat (by that I mean rear facing, forward facing and booster-not the Nautilus type seat). These are decent rear facing seats, but lousy forward facing seats (outgrown around age 2-3) and lousy boosters. They claim "the last seat you will ever need" but it's not.
Evenflo Titan-outgrown early as well like the comfortsport.
I have the Titan Raceway and LOVE it! The memory foam keeps the seat from heating up (this was the main reason I returned my Britax... air couldn't get back there and the seat was a friggin sauna). Best yet the safety ratings are comparable to Britax and it was $99!!!!!!!
(Only downside, get the seat inspected BEFORE you use it. The rearfacing tilt is a little tricky to get just right, but once you see it done right it like "Oh" and easy to do.)